Article of manufacture useful for conditioning a surface

ABSTRACT

AN ARTICLE OF MANUFACTURE USEFUL FOR SANDING, POLISHING, WAXING OR OTHERWISE CONDITIONING THE SURFACE OF A WORK PIECE COMPRISING A TRIANGLAR SHAPED BODY OF MATERIAL, PREFERABLY IN SHEET FROM, FLEXIBLE ENOUGH OF BE GRASPED BETWEEN THE THUM AND FINGERS, SO THAT THE THIRD SIDE MAY BE PRESSED INTO CONTACT WITH THE WORK PIECE, THE TRIANGULA SHAPER BODY MAY BE FORMED AS A FLAT SHEET OR STRIP WITH STRUCTURE FOR JOINING THE ENDS AT ONE APEX OF THE BODY, TOGETHER WITH FOLD OR SCORE LINES THEREON TO PROVIDED THE OTHER TWO APOCES.

1971 c. D. NORRIS m 3,623,282

ARTICLE OF MANUFACTURE USEFUL FOR CONDITIONING A SURFACE l iii I35? 2 I Filed Feb. 24, 1970 INVIiN'I'nR. (lam/7C6 D Norr/s/[Z BY C f1; 5/ Z Attorneys United States Patent 3,623,282 ARTICLE OF MANUFACTURE USEFUL FOR CONDITIONIN G A SURFACE Clarence D. Norris III, P.0. Box 20222, Birmingham, Ala. 35216 Filed Feb. 24, 1970, Ser. No. 13,358 Int. Cl. B24d 15/00, 11/06 U.S. Cl. 51-399 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An article of manufacture useful for sanding, polishing, waxing or otherwise conditioning the surface of a work piece comprising a triangular shaped body of material, preferably in sheet form, flexible enough to be grasped between the thumb and fingers, so that the third side may be pressed into contact with the work piece. The triangular shaped body may be formed as a flat sheet or strip with structure for joining the ends at one apex of the body, together with fold or score lines thereon to provide the other two apices.

My invention relates to an article of manufacture useful for sanding, polishing, waxing or otherwise conditioning a surface and generally stated may comprise a sheet offiexible material, generally triangular in shape and with the surfaces thereof carrying or being impregnated with the appropriate conditioning material such as abrasives, polishing materials, waxes, or the like.

A more specific object is to provide an article of the character designated in which the triangular shaped body is of such material that in use it may be grasped, with the thumb resting on one of the sides and the fingers of the same hand resting on the other, with one of the apices between the thumb and fingers, thus leaving the third side available for doing useful work.

.A further object is to provide an article of the character designated in which the sheet material of which it is formed permits the article to be held for work purposes adjacent any one of the apices of the triangular shaped body, whereby all of the surfaces may be utilized to sand, polish, wax, or the like.

A further object is to provide an article of the character indicated in which the body may initially be formed and sold in flat strip form, there being means for joining the ends, thus to connect these ends to form one of the apices of the triangular shaped body, the other two apices being formed by fold or score lines appropriately located along the length of the strip.

, An article of manufacture illustrating features of my invention is shown in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view with certain parts broken away and in section;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged detail sectional view of the socket at one end of the body for receiving the tongue at the opposite end, thus to join the same;

FIG. 4 is an isometric view showing my improved article in set up position; and,

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the manner of use of the article in working upon a surface.

Referring now to the drawings for a better understanding of my invention I illustrate the same as embodying a strip or sheet of flexible material indicated generally by the numeral 10. The material employed may vary from certain forms of relatively heavy paper to a number of the well known plastic materials, such as polyethylene, in suitable grades so as to be flexible enough for the purpose to be explained.

Inp-

ice

While the article may be made permanently in triangular outline, nevertheless as shown in the drawings I prefer to fabricate the same in such fashion that it may be sold knocked down, in flat strip or sheet form and subsequently assembled by the purchaser. Thus, the strip 10 may have at one end a tongue like member 11 having a plurality of serrations 12 on the surfaces thereof. At the opposite end of the strip or sheet I may provide a socket 13 which has a plurality of teeth like serrations 14 on its inner walls. At 16 and 17 I illustrate score or fold lines, located so as to divide the strip longitudinally into approximately three equal lengths. Also, and as a matter of convenience 'I may provide the tab or tongue 11 with a small hole 18 so that the strips may be hung on a peg or the like from a display board for sale in this fashion.

It will be understood that the object is to provide a generally triangular shaped article as shown in FIG. 4 of the drawings. Thus, I illustrate the device set up as having the sides A, B and C joined at the apices 16a and 17a by the score lines 16 and 17 respectively and at the other apex 19 by the insertion of the tongue 11 into the socket 13, the serrations being disposed to hold the parts assembled.

It will further be understood that the outer surfaces of the sides A, B and C may be treated, selectively, with abrasive materials, waxes, polishes, or any other treatment which may be needed or desired. In other words, regardless of how applied the object is to provide the outer surfaces of the triangular body with whatever material may be needed to operate upon the surfaces to be conditioned. Further, both sides of the strip may be treated, thus making the strip reversible, thus affording six working surfaces instead of three.

With the device set up as shown in FIG. 4 and formed of sheets flexible enough for the purpose, it will be seen that it may be used for sanding, polishing and the like by grasping the same between the thumb and fingers of the hand as illustrated in 'FIG. 5. When grasped as illustrated the legs A and B are deflected or bent to generally the shape shown with the apex 19 lying between the thumb and fingers. This leaves the side C as the then working side and if the outer surface of side C carries an abrasive material the article may be used to sand a work piece or surface.

When the material on side C is exhausted the user sim ply releases his grasp, and places the apex 17a, for instance, where 19 is shown in FIG. 5, whereupon side B would then become the working side or leg of the triangle. In similar manner, apex 16a can be placed where 19 is shown in FIG. 5, whereupon side A is the working side.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have devised an improved, useful and inexpensive article of manufacture for the purposes stated. The article can be manufactured and sold as a throw away article. That is to say, the economy of manufacture permits the same to be thrown away once the treatment material on the working surfaces of the legs A, B and C is exhausted.

The required flexibility of the body may be achieved by using a suitably resilient grade of polyethylene sheet material on the order of about one thirty-second inch thick. The tongue 11 and the opening 13 to receive the same may be used as illustrated or, there may be pro vided with the strip to length of adhesive material which simply is stuck to the inner surfaces at the adjacent legs at the apex 19. Still further, and if desired, the article may be sold in set up form as shown in FIG. 4, although obviously to sell it in this fashion requires an inordinate amount of shipping and storage space. Therefore, I prefer to manufacture and market the device in flat form as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2.

While I have shown my invention in but one form, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various other changes and modifications Without departing from the spirit thereof.

What I claim is:

1. An article of manufacture useful for conditioning a surface comprising:

(a) a generally triangular body formed of sheet material flexible enough for two adjacent sides thereof to be engaged between the thumb and fingers with the apex of the triangle joining said two sides lying between the thumb and fingers and rigid enough for one side to lie flat against a work surface when so held, whereby when so held the third side of said body may be pressed into flat, work engaging contact with a surface, and

(b) the outer surfaces of the sides of the body carrying surface conditioning substances or materials.

2. The article of manufacture defined in claim 1 in which the outer surfaces of said body carry abrasive material.

3. The article of manufacture defined in claim 1 in which said body is formed as a substantially flat sheet of material, and means to fasten the ends of the sheet,

thus to define one of the apices thereof, there being fold 25 4 0 lines on the sheet to form the other two apices when said ends are fastened together.

4. The article of manufacture defined in claim 3 in which the means to fasten the ends of sheet comprises a tongue on one end thereof and a groove in the other end disposed to receive the tongue in locking fashion.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,103,320 12/1937 Corif 51392 X 2,708,761 5/1955 Bergquist 51-392 X 2,889,667 6/ 1959 Campbell 51-391 2,921,417 1/1960 Andrews 51391 3,064,301 11/1962 Clor 15--104.94 3,299,464 1/1967 OBrien 15104.94 3,369,267 2/1968 Friedland 15104.94

FOREIGN PATENTS 399,117 9/1933 Great Britain.

DONALD G. KELLY, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

